No one will argue Fred Williams was an outstanding three-sport athlete during his time at Grainger High School.

Williams’ only argument is that he was the benefactor of being on some really good teams.

Williams, a star athlete in football, basketball and baseball from 1945-49 for the Red Devils, will officially be inducted into the Kinston/Lenoir County Sports Hall of Fame during a ceremony at the new Woodmen Community Center at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday.

“A bunch of good athletes came through at the same time I was coming through,” Williams said, “there was just a long line.”

Williams was an offensive lineman who played on the only unbeaten football team in Grainger/Kinston history in 1948. He was a guard who played on back-to-back Eastern Regional championship and state runner-up basketball teams in 1948 and 1949. He was also an outfielder on the 1949 baseball team that won the first of back-to-back NCHSAA Class A state titles.

Yet, Williams feels he was just a part of the team.

“It was a good time for all of us,” he said. “We thoroughly enjoyed each other. We were all friends. It was just a great time.”

Added George Whitfield: “He was a very good defensive player (in basketball), really good at football and very good at baseball.”

Williams feels his own success — and that of the Red Devils — was due to his coaches and the county’s parks and recreation program.

“For one thing we had good coaches,” Williams said. “We also got started earlier (in our youth).

“I think the atmosphere was the big thing. We were all friends, we had great coaches (and) just enjoyed life.”

Williams — who was the first male to be an all-state selection in any sport from Grainger — graduated high school in 1949 then spent some time in the military. Following his service, he enrolled at East Carolina College where he played one season of college basketball.

At East Carolina he earned his degree in physical education and science, and went into education and coaching so he could mold young lives like Frank L. Mock Jr. and Amos Sexton did him and his Grainger teammates.

Williams, now 82, retired after 35 years of coaching, teaching and administration.

“Coach Mock never used any bad language. He was quiet. He corrected you but he did it in a nice way,” Williams said. “A lot of that I took from him. I coached about the same way.”

Even with the distinction of being the first male athlete from Grainger to be named to an all-state team, Williams still wouldn’t take any credit for it.

“We had several that were really good, several, that could have easily made all-state,” Williams said.

“I guess I got lucky.”

Ryan Herman can be reached at 252-559-1073 or Ryan.Herman@Kinston.com. Follow him on Twitter: @KFPSports.

Fred Williams career highlights

n Three-sport star at Grainger High School

n Played on only undefeated football team in Grainger history

n First baseball player from Grainger to be an all-state selection

n Played one season of basketball at East Carolina after serving in military

Kinston/Lenoir County Sports Hall of Fame

The Kinston/Lenoir County Sports Hall of Fame will induct its fourth class on Saturday at the Woodmen Community Center, the new permanent home of the KLCSHOF. The Free Press is running a series of articles by Ryan Herman and Bryan C. Hanks on all 10 new inductees and the teams that will be honored at the ceremony. Here is the schedule for the stories:

Monday, Oct. 8: Doug Bruton

Tuesday, Oct. 9: Otis Clark

Wednesday, Oct. 10: Thomas Cole

Thursday, Oct. 11: Pat Crawford

Friday, Oct. 12: Wayne Floyd

Saturday, Oct. 13: Vincent Jones

Sunday, Oct. 14: North Lenoir High School girls basketball — 1964-67

Monday: Coley Little

Tuesday: Hugh Pollock

Wednesday: South Lenoir High School boys basketball — 1968-69

Thursday: Carolyn Goodley Souther

Today: Fred Williams

Saturday: Grainger High School boys basketball — 1963-65

Kinston/Lenoir County Sports Hall of Fame

The Kinston/Lenoir County Sports Hall of Fame will induct 10 new members at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday at the Woodmen Community Center, the new permanent home for the KLCSHOF. Tickets cost $30. This year’s class includes: Douglas “Doug” Bruton, Otis Clark, Thomas George Cole, Pat Crawford, Wayne Floyd, Vincent Jones, Coley Little, Linwood Hugh Pollock, Carolyn Goodley Souther and Fred Williams. Boys basketball teams from Grainger (1963-64, 1964-65) and South Lenoir (1968-69) and girls teams from North Lenoir (1964-65, 1965-66, 1966-67) will also be recognized for their past achievements.

Tickets can be purchased at the Kinston/Lenoir County Parks and Recreation offices located upstairs at the Woodmen Community Center or at The Free Press.